Newport Latter-day Saints church donates diapers for O.C. families

In hopes of providing 1 million diapers for homeless families with babies and toddlers, Home Aid Orange County put out the call for diaper donations, and on Friday morning the Newport Beach California stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered at least 32,400 diapers to help meet the challenge.

Church officials said in a statement they estimate the total cost of the diapers the stake donated was around $4,100.

Andrew Nelson, who works with interfaith relations in Orange County for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, said that the donation Friday morning came from the church’s storehouse in Fountain Valley. The church has a worldwide humanitarian arm, Nelson said, and contributes to disaster relief and other local causes.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ humanitarian department of Newport Beach including 2nd councilor Gene Clark, third from left, Tom Thorkelson, director of interfaith relations, in light coat, and Andrew Nelson of interfaith relations with Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stand in front of delivery of 32,420 diapers to support the effort of Home Aid Orange County diaper drive at Christ Cathedral Church on Friday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

The National Diaper Bank Network, a nonprofit dedicated to providing diapers for children, reported in 2018 that one in three families struggle to provide clean diapers for their babies. Low-income families struggle, and have especially in the face of the pandemic, to provide clean diapers for their children because federal aid doesn’t pay for diapers.

Officials said Daniel Livingston, the president of the Newport Beach California stake, heard about the drive in Garden Grove and petitioned the humanitarian arm of the church in Utah.

“As members of the Church of Jesus Christ we are grateful to join with other religious organizations and individuals in Orange County to support this drive,” said Livingston in a statement.

“We know there are many in our area who are struggling and sincerely hope this donation will be of help to those in need,” he added. “We thank our brothers and sisters in our interfaith community for also supporting this effort.”

Volunteer groups unload boxes of diapers for the Home Aid Orange County diaper drive at the Christ Cathedral Church in Garden Grove on Friday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

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